Plan B
by Rachel500
Summary: Will Jack propose to Sam on Valentine's Day?


Stargate SG1 is somebody else,'s, probably MGM/Gekko Corp/Sci-fi, and I freely admit that whoever's it is, I'm borrowing their show and they retain all rights, etc

**Author's Note:** Sam/Jack so please turn away now if you don't like the pairing. This is a sequel to my previous Valentine fic, 'Distance', but you don't need to have read that to enjoy this. Set early Season 10 somewhere after The Pegasus Project and before Insiders. Mild reference to adult situations. Spoilers for all SG1. Happy Valentine's Day!

**Plan B**

Argosian cakes and Edoran forced exiles aside, Jack O'Neill had never thought he would remarry.

Not that he had disliked the institution. He liked it just fine. He had been married once before after all.

His first marriage to Sara hadn't been without its problems but it had been a good marriage before they'd lost their son. Jack had even considered that it could have been some kind of marriage still after, had he made some kind of effort but he had left emotionally, Sara had left physically and Jack hadn't stopped either from happening. He had drowned any remaining regrets with beer the night his divorce papers had arrived and he had never truly considered marriage any time afterwards.

Of course, when his divorce papers had arrived somewhere between mind games in a virtual environment and a second trip to Cimmeria – he could never remember the exact date, he'd already been deep in denial that he cared far more about Samantha Carter than he should as her then CO.

Maybe marriage to Carter had crossed his mind after her double arrived from an alternate reality. Doctor Carter and her Jack O'Neill had been married there after all, and Jack couldn't help but wonder. The alternative universe had offered an alluring what if, but it had remained just an alluring what if even when he and _his_ Carter had both known that there was something more between them than, to quote Carter, 'their working relationship and military ranks.' That very working relationship and military ranks had kept them apart for years while they kept to their oath to put their country before self. In the end the what if had died a death when Carter had tried to move on and accepted another man's proposal.

But a lot could happen between an engagement and a wedding; defeating the Goa'uld, defeating the Replicators, Carter realising her impending marriage was a mistake. Soon after the two of them had decided that it was time to lose the working relationship for a personal one even if they kept the military ranks. Jack wholeheartedly believed it was the best decision he had ever made.

Which brought him back to his dilemma.

Having never seriously considered that he and Carter would ever get together, Jack had never seriously considered the idea that he would remarry.

But they'd officially been a couple for over a year and they were facing their second Valentine's day. Their first had happened a couple of months after they had started dating. In fact by Jack's reckoning they'd notched up exactly three dates before the Hallmark holiday. Their fourth had taken place on Valentine's; it had involved one card which they'd both signed 'I love you' to the other, a beer and jello picnic on a cold hillside and a remarkably wonderful way of keeping warm that had Jack smiling at the memory. Their second Valentine's date was due to happen that evening and Jack was beginning to wonder if he was supposed to propose.

He blamed Daniel Jackson.

Mainly because Daniel was responsible for Vala Mal Doran being anywhere near Jack. Jack liked Vala. He did. OK, so maybe he had originally been pissed that she had stolen the Prometheus that time and he had been less than pleased that she had played a somewhat pivotal role in getting them embroiled with the Ori. During her first sojourn at the SGC Jack could admit he hadn't been a fan and he had given her a hard time for giving Daniel a hard time – after all that was his job. But Vala had stopped the formation of the first Supergate and Jack admired her spunk in returning and sticking around even if he had doubts about whether she would ever achieve the redemption she was looking for. He knew first hand that redemption wasn't easy and he had a feeling Vala usually bailed when things got tough. Carter was convinced the other woman would surprise him and Jack hoped she was right if only for Daniel's sake; the archaeologist didn't need another disappointment.

Vala's rather direct question about Jack's plans for the evening when he'd stopped by Daniel's office had certainly taken him by surprise. He'd only dropped in because Carter had told him Daniel had been depressed since SG1's return from Atlantis and a run-in with an Ascended being…

_Daniel's office was a welcome familiarity as Jack strode in looking for the archaeologist. He wasn't too surprised to find him head bent over a large dusty book, eyes squinting at the small writing in the dim light provided by the single desk lamp. It was another familiar sight and Jack felt his shoulders drop another inch. Whatever else changed around the SGC, this was the same._

_Jack's hand found the switch on the wall and the room flooded with artificial light. Daniel's head snapped up and he blinked like a newborn as he glared at Jack._

'_Jack.'_

'_Daniel.'_

_Jack stuffed his hands into the pockets of his BDU pants and rocked back on his heels, a smirk lifting the corners of his mouth. 'You want to go get cake?'_

'_I'm working.' Daniel said huffily. He scowled. 'You might want to try it.'_

'_Hmmm.' Jack's attention caught on a statue of a naked man or woman; it was hard to tell. He went to pick it up, only for Daniel to snatch it away at the last minute with a warning look. Jack casually leaned back against the central workbench. 'So I hear you met another Ascended being.'_

_Daniel settled back on his stool. 'I'm fine, Jack.' _

_The message was clear: go away. Jack ignored it. 'Sounds like she was a fan.'_

_Daniel sighed and resolutely picked up his book, a physical code Jack had long since deciphered as meaning Daniel wasn't going to talk about it until he was ready. 'It's_ _Valentine's._ _Aren't you supposed to be preparing for a romantic evening with Sam?'_

'_Who's preparing for a romantic evening with Sam?' Vala interrupted, bounding in with a box of books that she dropped into a chair with a huff. _

'_Jack.'_

_Jack shot Daniel a warning look but the archaeologist smiled sweetly back at him. OK, so it wasn't as though people didn't know about his relationship with Carter but they were attempting to be discreet. _

_Vala jumped up onto the bench beside Daniel and considered Jack seriously. 'So are you planning to propose a formal union at this dinner?' She asked bluntly. 'I've heard people do that today. It was all over the television news earlier.'_

_Jack was certain he was doing a fair impression of a goldfish. His eyes darted to Daniel who was clearly struggling not to laugh. Jack closed his mouth and debated who to glare at first. He ended up glaring at Vala._

'_That is none of your business.' He stated firmly. And it wasn't, Jack assured himself. _

_It was Daniel's turn to look surprised. He pushed his glasses up his nose and looked at Jack speculatively. 'You're going to propose?'_

_Jack opened his mouth to deny everything when Cameron Mitchell sauntered into the room. He saw Jack and came to an abrupt halt. 'Sir.' _

_Jack waved at Mitchell to relax. 'As you were.'_

'_Are you going to propose?' Daniel pressed Jack to answer, heedless of Mitchell's presence. 'Because I don't think Sam's expecting you to propose so, you know.'_

'_Uh,' Mitchell gestured at the door, 'maybe I should come back another time.'_

'_Stay.' Jack said authoratively. 'I'm leaving.' _

'_O'Neill.' Teal'c's arrival prevented Jack from making his escape. The Jaffa stopped by Jack's side. 'General Landry requests your presence in the briefing room.'_

_Jack smirked at Daniel and turned on his heel. Saved by the need to attend another tedious meeting…so maybe saved wasn't quite the word…_

_Daniel stood up and gestured at Teal'c. 'Jack's going to propose to Sam.'_

_Teal'c's eyebrow made a familiar journey up his smooth dark forehead._

'_Oh, for crying out loud.' Jack said loudly, whirling back around and flinging a hand toward Daniel. 'I am __**not**__ proposing to Carter.'_

_There was a deadly silence and Jack's heart sank as he saw Daniel fix a weak smile on his face and glance over Jack's shoulder toward the doorway. 'Hi Sam.'_

_Jack turned around tentatively. Sam's shock was giving way to amusement which had his knees going weak with relief. Jack straightened his shoulders and tried to gather what remained of his dignity. 'If you'll all excuse me, General Landry is waiting for me.' He skirted around Sam in the doorway and refused to meet her eyes. _

That had been the last time he had seen her.

Jack glanced at his watch as he entered Carter's house. She'd sold her old one when she'd moved to Area 51; her new abode was in his old neighbourhood and had a similar build to his old house; split level with a sunken living area, bedrooms on the upper level to the back and, importantly, a flat accessible roof that was perfect for sky watching.

He considered heading up there to wait as he made the final preparations for the meal he had planned. He had managed to get away from the SGC early. In hindsight, he wondered if it might not have been better to have faced her in her lab and attempted some kind of explanation before their romantic evening together. Maybe not. Either way, he had a feeling that the Valentine's evening they'd planned was already ruined. Most women didn't appreciate their significant other proclaiming an intention not to propose to them.

It wasn't that he was against the idea of marrying Carter or proposing to her. He'd just never considered it, Jack thought defensively as he dumped the flowers he had bought – long stemmed giant pink daisies – in a vase. He wasn't even sure why. Maybe because Carter had just broken one engagement when they'd gotten together; maybe because he'd spent the last year simply in awe that he was with her; the prospect of more than that seemed incredible and terrifying…

And he had no idea how Carter felt about marriage. The thought made him pause in the middle of putting the food away.

He knew she'd been engaged twice but neither engagement had ended up at the altar and he couldn't help wondering whether that fact had put her off the whole idea completely. Certainly he knew – primarily because she had told him – that one factor in her realisation that she was making a mistake with the previous guy was being faced with the ordinary, every day life that she would have had when her then fiancé had bought her a house. Jack had made a note at the time never to buy Carter a house but the question remained: marriage had been part of that ordinary every day life she had run away from. Would she _want_ a proposal?

Did he?

His relationship with Carter wasn't ordinary nor every day; it had always been extraordinary and he quite liked that. Marriage seemed mundane; it was the dirty socks and squeezed toothpaste tube arguments, the decisions on who got the remote and where they put the sofa; the minutiae of sharing a life. But there was the rub: it was about sharing a life.

They'd never discussed the future, Jack realised solemnly as he finished setting out the table. They both knew only too well how fragile life was in a war. Carter had almost died several times over since they'd become a couple and Jack knew how much the idea of losing her scared him. He had a suspicion that he had shied away from thinking about marriage, because marriage suggested a future, and maybe Jack hadn't wanted to consider it in case that future didn't happen; in case she didn't make it back one time. Easier just to focus on the here and now; be grateful for what he could have with Carter while he was with her without tempting fate by planning for a future.

That didn't mean Jack wasn't committed. He had told her always and he had meant it. There was no one else for him; would never be anyone else. Marriage or no marriage wouldn't change that. He was in it for life however long that was and he figured so was she. And suddenly the realisation that his relationship with Carter was going to last a lifetime hit him; it begged the question then why wouldn't he marry her and make it official? He was traditional enough to want the trapping and the ceremony; possessive enough to want his ring adorning her finger; and damn it, he just liked the idea of being her husband, of her being his wife.

Jack rubbed a hand over his face. What he did know was that he and Carter were perfectly capable of dancing around the idea for years before either of them did anything to change the status quo and risk what they had. It was their modus operandi after all.

The phone rang cutting through Jack's thinking and he hurried over to answer it. 'O'Neill.'

'We're in lockdown.' Sam was direct and to the point. 'SG4 came back with some kind of parasite. Carolyn's estimating it's going to be after midnight before she can confirm it hasn't spread to anyone else.'

Jack's eyes sneaked to the carefully laid table. So much for their second Valentine's day date.

'I'm really sorry.' Sam sighed and the hint of frustration in her voice eased his.

'Well, these things happen.' Jack replied lightly. He sat down heavily in an armchair and plucked at the laces on his sneakers. 'Carter, about before…'

'Daniel explained.' Sam said hurriedly.

'Ah.' Jack wondered exactly what Daniel had explained.

'I wasn't expecting anything, Jack.' Sam assured him but he heard a faint twinge of disappointment - or maybe he hoped he had. So the dancing had begun, he mused with wry resignation.

He could hear voices in the background and Sam's stage whisper to whoever was talking to her to wait a moment. 'You need to go.'

'Yes – sorry.' Sam sounded miserable.

'Hey,' Jack said, his voice softening, 'it's OK. There'll be other Valentine's.' A lifetime of them if Jack had his way.

'Got to go.' Sam murmured urgently evidently losing the battle to remain on the phone. 'Bye.'

'Bye.' Jack replied automatically. The dull tone in his ear underscored the end of the conversation. Jack pressed the off button and threw the phone onto the nearby sofa.

His eyes snagged on the card he hadn't quite got round to writing. He reached over and picked it up. The fishing dog on the front was cute and whimsical; the message inside was simple and to the point; 'love you.' It had seemed perfect when Jack had spied it in the shop. Jack hunted for a pen. He scrawled his message inside and stuffed the card back into the outrageously pink envelope, sealing it quickly. He propped it up against the vase on the table and went in search of a beer.

It was late when he came awake at the sound of the front door softly closing. He turned over in the large bed and glanced at the digital clock; two am. He listened intently as he tracked Sam's quiet footfalls through the house; her route took her from the living room to the dining room where she paused – he hadn't cleared away the table – and into the kitchen. He heard the sound of water running. She was probably getting herself a glass of water, Jack surmised as he scrubbed his tired eyes with his fingers and turned back over.

He closed his eyes as Sam made her way upstairs. She opened the bedroom door and walked to the bed without any hint that she was trying not to wake him. He knew she knew he would be awake.

'Jello?'

Jack opened his eyes and looked at her. She stood on the opposite side of the bed holding his card. She was backlit from the light pouring in from the hall. Her expression was in shadows and he couldn't make out anything more than the hint of laughter in her voice.

'And beer.' Jack reminded her gruffly as he shifted position, sitting up with the pillows propped behind his head and the sheets pooling around his waist. The beer and jello had been his surprise meal. It had served them well the year before and he was sentimental enough to try and establish a tradition between them.

There was a beat of silence.

Sam crawled on top of the bed until she was kneeling beside him and close up he could see that she was tired, the lines on her face were deep and the shadows under her eyes were dark. Her blonde hair was completely mussed as were her clothes. She held up the card.

'Plan B?' She asked delicately.

Jack nodded carefully, trying to gauge her reaction. He had no idea if it was what she wanted but he knew he was not waiting years to find out. Been there; done that.

She handed him the card. His card. He took it from her with a pounding heart and opened it, suddenly nervous.

His own words filled the top of the card; _'Marry me, Jack x.'_

Her answer filled the bottom; _'Yes, Sam x.'_

He looked up at her as though to check he'd read it right and she nodded. He could see the glint of tears in her eyes that contradicted the smile that lit up her face. He let go of the card and reached for her. A moment later they were kissing.

So he might not have originally planned to propose to Carter, and maybe he owed Daniel - and quite possibly Vala - a thank you, Jack considered absently, as one hand tangled in Carter's hair and the other slid under her t-shirt. His lips found hers in another passionate kiss that stole his breath.

But then, Jack mused with smug satisfaction, he'd always been a big fan of plan B.

The End


End file.
